ISTANBUL, June 10 — Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed to intensify efforts to reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza today.
Blinken met the Egyptian leader in Cairo on his first stop in a regional tour that will also take him to Jordan and Qatar, his eighth Middle East tour since October 7 last year.
Anadolu Agency reported the Egyptian presidency's statement as saying that both sides reviewed the latest developments of their joint efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner swap deal.
They also discussed Egyptian efforts to provide access to humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
Blinken, for his part, conveyed the US administration's appreciation for Egypt's ongoing efforts on the political and humanitarian levels, and bilateral coordination to restore security and peace in the region.
Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since October 7, despite a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire.
Over 37,100 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and nearly 84,700 others injured, according to local health authorities.
Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.
— Bernama
